How to Plan the Perfect Hike
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Last Updated 8/8/22.
Hiking is one of my favorite things to do, either on my own or with others. I especially enjoy it solo though, as it’s my favorite time to really appreciate the beauty in nature and to unplug (well, mostly). Those who know me know I’m a planner (to put it mildly), so I love planning my hikes almost as much as hiking them. Here are my steps on how to plan the perfect hike.
With that being said, there is really no way to plan the perfect hike. Weather, trail conditions, and many other factors like getting stung by yellow jackets (true story) can affect your hike. However, in my opinion, planning can help you get as close to perfect as you can!
Helpful Tips: Here are a few helpful things to remember, whether you are a newbie hiker or an experienced pro.
- Make sure to check a trail or park’s website before visiting, as some are closed now.
- Choose less popular trails. The popular or well-known ones are so overrun that it’s actually the opposite of where you should be.
- Practice hiking etiquette: see below.
With these new tips in mind, you can still plan an amazing hike, so enjoy!
Step 1: Decide your distance/time frame.
The first step in planning a hike is figuring out how much time you have for it. Do you only have a few hours or the whole day? Do you want to stretch the hike into multiple days to hit a few trails close by? Also, how many miles do you want to hike? Your allotted time to hike will affect your mileage and vice versa, so think carefully about this.
Also, consider the level of difficulty you are comfortable with. If you’re new to hiking, you may want to start small. I’d suggest no more than 2 miles round trip for beginner hikers. If you know your desired mileage and time-frame, the next few steps will be easier.
Step 2: Search for options.
Once you’ve narrowed down your time and mileage, now comes the fun part. Here are a few tools I always use when planning my hikes:
- Pinterest: great resource from real life hikers
- All Trails: website and an app that lets you search trails near you and filter the results to your specifics, including length, elevation, difficulty level, etc.
- Google: mostly because I don’t do anything these days without Googling it first
- Hiking Project: another website and app, powered by REI, that filters the results, including whether a trail is dog or family friendly
All of these resources are great to narrow down your choice. Other than the things you already determined in Steps 1 and 2, there are a few other things I look for:
- PDF or download of the trail map
- Any pictures of the trail itself and its highlights: maybe I want a trail by water, or with an overlook or with historical ruins, etc.
- The overall rating or impression I get from my research
- Parking options: some trails have tiny parking lots, some have no parking lots…you get it
- Price: certain trails have parking fees or entry fees if it’s a state or national park
After considering all your criteria, hopefully you’ve narrowed it down to your perfect hike! If you’re stuck between a few, ask your hiking buddies or get feedback from your social media friends.
Step 3: Prepare for the hike.
You’ve picked your trail and now you’re ready to go! Well, not quite yet. Now you need to actually prepare for the day of. The first thing you’ll want to do in preparation is decide what time you want to get to the trail. I always try to get to the trail as early as possible, since there are usually fewer people out. In addition, I always check 3 things constantly leading up to my hike.
- The Weather: I do this every day anyway, but make sure to check the weather for the location and time of your hike. And check it more than once, since we all know weather forecasts can be wildly unpredictable.
- The Parking: You should have already checked this during your planning stage, but I always double and triple check this for my own peace of mind. I hate weird parking situations, like having to parallel park.
- My Hiking Essentials: I try to pack my bag the night before, so I’m not scrambling that day to get everything together. I’ve created a handy hiking essentials checklist that will ensure you don’t forget anything, so check it out.
Step 4: Enjoy your perfect hike!
Now that you’ve planned, packed your bag, set your alarm, and gotten your beauty sleep, it’s time for the hike. My #1 tip for having a perfect hike is to not get so caught up in sticking exactly to what you planned. I know, easier said than done! I’m not always the most flexible when it comes to things like this. But I have had some of my best hikes when I was flexible and realized that things may not go according to plan. The most important aspect of having a good hike isn’t in the planning, but in your mindset. So go forth and hike your heart out!
Hiking Etiquette
If you are a beginner hiker or may have forgotten, now’s a good time for a refresher on hiking etiquette. There are many guidelines to follow when hiking, but I’m only going to mention my top 3.
- Leave no trace: This is the #1 rule when hiking, or really doing anything outdoors. This includes leaving no trash or debris. But it also includes not moving things, like the popular stacking of rocks these days, or taking things as souvenirs. Moving things can negatively affect the ecosystem in ways we aren’t even aware of.
- Be friendly: Say hello to hikers you pass on the trail. Smile and nod. Give advice or help if someone looks lost or asks you a question. It’s just nice to be nice.
- Yield to those going uphill: This rule is probably the least well-known in my experience. But it’s correct etiquette for hikers going downhill to yield to those hiking uphill.
For a more extensive list of etiquette tips, the American Hiking Society has a pretty good list.
I hope these steps for how to plan the perfect hike have helped you either get started or you’ve learned some new tips if you’re already a hiker. If you’re interested in some of my personal favorite hikes, check out my post on my top 5 hikes near Atlanta.
12 Comments
Ceilon
Great post with extremely usable information! Especially for the novice hiker. My husband and I LIVE on hiking trails in the mountains of Montana in the summer. It is our favorite thing to do besides slow-water kayaking. And solo is our preference, too. If you’re with a crowd of people you may scare off the bears but you also miss a lot of the scenery, treebathing benefits, and solace to too much conversation.
Jordan
Hi Ceilon,
It’s so nice to connect with a fellow hiker! I have never been to Montana, but I bet the trails are beautiful. I totally agree. Although I do want to avoid the bears!
Hollee R Archibald
I did not know you should yield for people going uphill! Interesting fact! Thanks for the tips.
Jordan
Hi Hollee,
I didn’t know either for the longest time! It’s one of those lesser well-known rules that I wish was shared more.
Mimi
This post reminds me of when I was a footloose traveler and hiking is my best bet to get the best photos. Whenever I hike as a solo though, I don’t lose sight of other hikers – I was making sure that they are in a hearing distance just in case I would need help. Luckily though, I made it through each time. Love this!
Jordan
Hi Mimi,
Glad to meet another hiker! That’s a good tip too, especially when solo. I do sometimes get a bit nervous if I find myself on a trail all alone.
Debby
Thank you for writing this article. I’m single and love to hike. I usually stick to places I’ve grown up hiking with my parents. Basically since I already know them and scared to venture out to try a new one by myself. I’m definitely going to check out the apps that you have mentioned. You inspired me to try some new ones around me. By the way, I did not know that you should yield to those going up hill.
Jordan
Hi Debby,
I totally get sticking with what you know. There is comfort in the familiar. But I do hope you can branch out a bit and try some new ones too. The yielding is definitely not well-known.
Kristen Allred
You have som!e really beautiful pictures on here! I love the links to help you find the right trails.
Jordan
Hi Kristen,
Thank you! I’m glad you find the link helpful. I am all about sharing the knowledge so more people become avid hikers!
Megan
I love this post! I am a bit of a planner too. I knew about the All Trails app but I did not know about the Hiking Project app. I’ll have to definitely download that for my next hike!
Jordan
Hi Megan,
Glad to meet a fellow planner! I use both apps when researching, so I hope they both help you too.